What’s the most used, most remodeled room in a home? According to the National Association of Home Builders (HAHB), it’s the kitchen. NAHB data shows that 81 percent of remodelers requested work be performed on their kitchen, with the bathroom running in close second place.
Is a kitchen remodel in your future? Where do you start?
Why not start at the bottom … with your floors.
Your flooring sets the stage for your entire kitchen design. It creates mood, adds depth, can control the aesthetics of everything else you install in the room.
And while we know there are a lot of choices for you to consider, we think one of the best is ceramic tile. It’s simply one of the best flooring choices for kitchens.
Ceramic tile is made with inorganic materials like clay. That makes it easy to maintain, more durable, and less vulnerable to moisture and stains. But is it the right flooring choice for your kitchen?
1. Ceramic tile is beautiful
If you want options, look no further than ceramic tile. With today’s modern technology, there are infinite possibilities in creating the kitchen of your dreams.
Why is ceramic tile one of the best choices for kitchen flooring? Possibilities.
Ceramic comes in three formats: glazed, unglazed, and porcelain. Glazed is coated to provide better stain and moisture resistance. Unglazed is hard and dense and showcases a more natural look. Porcelain tiles are the hardest, densest tile available, with color going all the way through the thickness.
Ceramic tile is manufactured in sizes from one to twenty-four inches square. Don’t like square? Why not go with the newest entry: ceramic planks. They imitate the look of hardwood, making them a perfect choice for your kitchen.
Want a particular color or pattern? If you can dream it, you’ll find it … with ceramic tile.
2. Ceramic tile is durable
Ceramic tile is made from clay, fired in a kiln, and finished to provide a hard, durable surface.
A kitchen is tough on a floor – one of the toughest rooms in your home. But tiles can withstand as much as you dish out, and still look great in the process.
If the refrigerator leaks, your tile floors will still look great after the cleanup is completed. If it chips or cracks, keeping a few extra tiles on hand means you’ll be able to replace it and have your floors looking great again with just a little work.
Ceramic tile is truly the workhorse of the flooring industry, one of the strongest, long-lasting flooring choices you can make for your kitchen.
3. Ceramic tile is easy to clean
Ceramic tile is also one of the easiest flooring choices to keep clean. Sweep up daily dust, pet hair, and debris. Vacuum for a deeper clean. Mop as necessary. Unlike organic flooring choices like hardwood, ceramic tile won’t warp or curl with spills and moisture.
When properly installed, there isn’t a place dirt or germs can hide. You can even use heavy duty cleaners to keep it sparkling and looking brand new. Just check with your ceramic tile manufacturer for the perfect solution for your tile.
4. Ceramic tile is priced right
You’ve dreamed about solid wood floors in your kitchen. But the sticker shock is real, especially when you consider the maintenance it will take to ensure they look good for years to come.
That’s why more homeowners are turning to ceramic tile. You can find the right choice for you at any price point you desire. Depending on the quality, the style, and the composition, it can be one of the most economical kitchen flooring choices available.
5. Ceramic tile is healthier
When you think about everything you do in the kitchen, only one thing is for sure about any flooring choice you make: it will have to withstand a wide variety of activities. The knocked over water bottle. The spilled glass of wine. The pickle jar that falls from the fridge. The mess from a backed up drain.
But it’s more than that. How about the pet that sleeps at your feet? Have you noticed those furballs accumulating in the corners?
And what about pollen from outside, that lands subtly across your floor?
Allergens don’t have a place to hide or hover into with ceramic floors. They can easily be swept, vacuumed, or wiped away. And considering you spend most of your time in the kitchen, isn’t it nice knowing it won’t add into your allergy attacks?
6. Ceramic tile is easy to install
Ceramic tile does require special tools to install, and can be challenging to cut and fit into place, especially if you are a DIYer.
Yet installing ceramic tile can also be a forgiving DIY project, especially in smaller spaces.
And if you hire a contractor to do the work for you, you can have your project completed in a short amount of time. Ceramic tile doesn’t need acclimating as hardwoods do. And you can easily piece it around just about any cabinet, wall, or other hindrance you might have in place.
It’s easy to customize your kitchen with ceramic tile.
7. Ceramic tile is warm
Ceramic tile isn’t very good at retaining heat. In fact, it can stay rather cool to the touch, making it perfect for warm places.
Yet here in Colorado, ceramic tile is the perfect choice if you’re interested in installing radiant heating.
Ceramic tile is thin and mineral-based, giving it the perfect qualities for conducting heat. And because it contains no organic material, it won’t deteriorate if the hydronic system leaks water.
It heats up rapidly, and will even retain some of the heat for a short while after it’s turned off.
8. Ceramic tile is stylish
Have we mentioned that very little can beat the look of ceramic tile? That’s because there are an infinite number of ways to install it and keep it looking its best.
Go small, and create mosaic designs. Use decorative inserts and borders for a one-of-a-kind look. Change out colors and weave patterns in to suit your personality. Or use different shapes, such as hexagon, and let your imagination run wild.
We love ceramic tile and think it’s the perfect addition to any kitchen remodeling project you take on.
If you need a little inspiration, why not stop by our showroom today.